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4.06.2015

Five simple tips to getting happier today!

Happy April! Time is seriously flying in the Chubby Vegan
Abode.I’m about to turn the big 3-0 in
less than two weeks and Pearyn will be FIVE next month. What on Earth happened
to my lanky little baby girl? OK, she’s still really lanky, she’s just not so little.

Between traveling for work, softball lessons, coaching,
birthdays and everything in between, we’ve been some busy bees lately. While I
absolutely thrive on being busy, sometimes that can lead to cranky pants
parents and kids who don’t want to listen; which in turn, leads to a lot of
unhappiness.

One of the most common questions I’ve been getting from
friends and followers lately is what the heck I’m doing to stay sane and happy.
What tips can I give to others to help them find their happy place? And to be
honest, I don’t really know what will work for everyone out there. It depends
largely on why you’re unhappy and you taking responsibility to feel better.
Disclaimer, I’m not a medical professional, so this ain’t treatment, these are
just a few simple things I do every day (or close to every day) to improve my
morale. Some of these things might seem silly, but you want to know what’s
working for me, so here it is.

1. Get up and make your bed in the morning! Yep. This probably sounds really
stupid and really lame, but I’m telling you, a clean bed is an awesome sight to
see throughout the day, but it also feels 10 times better to get into than a
messy one. If you’ve got a little cash to spare, go get yourself a colorful,
bright throw or bedspread to make your bed with. Or hell, some accent pillows
will even do the trick. Giving our bed a spring makeover has done serious
wonders for giving my attitude a makeover in the morning.

2. Get dressed. OK, so this is one I don’t follow this particular tip every single day, (I
work from home and sometimes it’s nice to roll out of bed and attend my
meetings in pajamas), but if I’m in a funk, I’ve found throwing on my favorite
pair of heels or a touch of mascara can seriously boost my mood. Maybe your
thing is that perfect pair of jeans, or maybe it’s just your favorite t-shirt,
either way, putting on something you feel good in will help you stand a little
taller and smile a little broader.

3. Talk about what you’re feeling. Seriously, quit holding
so much in, you’re not doing anyone any good. Not to mention, why do you feel
like you need to hold it in? Are you embarrassed about how you feel? Afraid
someone will make fun of you? Let me provide a little insight from my
experience with these emotions. First off, you shouldn’t be ashamed of feeling
a certain way. A lot of times, our body’s make-up is just throwing us off a
bit, so you might not even be able to control some of your feelings. And did I
mention they’re feelings? They’re messy, they’re supposed to be, and that’s OK.
And if you’re scared of what someone might think of you because you’re
expressing your feelings, well, you don’t need those folks in your life anyhow.
People who love you won’t turn you away, won’t make you feel bad and WILL make
it infinitely better.

4. Instead of harping on all the things you aren’t happy
about or don’t like about yourself, find three things to be absolutely ecstatic
with. Sometimes, for me, it’s as simple as “well, I like my hair today.”
Sometimes, for me, it’s “wow, I have an amazing career.” It doesn’t matter what
you’re happy about, but focusing on what you’re blessed with is the fastest way
to combat what you’re less than pleased with. It won’t work like magic, but if
you train your brain to start thinking that way, it gets a lot easier and less
negativity invades your life.

5. Do something you love, EVERY day. Trust me, I know what you're gonna say, "but I don't have time to do something I love every day." You do, seriously, you do. It doesn't have to be something costly or amazing. Just something little, that you enjoy the hell out of. For example, I LOVE baking, but I don't ALWAYS have time to do it. So sometimes I just peruse Pinterest to get some ideas of what I'd like to bake when I get some time. Or I'll read. I LOVE reading. Even if it's only five pages, I sit and read for five pages and it gives me a completely relaxed and fresh feeling.

I know, these things probably seem really silly ... or maybe really basic. But they're working for me. And as long as they keep working, I'm going to keep doing em.'